The Fairbanks House — Hotel in Fernandina Beach

My husband & I just returned from a long weekend at the Fairbanks House to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary and are already planning our next trip for December. That will mark our 3rd stay at the Fairbanks House in 2020! This place has it all...wonderful location within walking distance to the city center, friendly & welcoming owners and staff, rooms & cottages meant to be relaxed in and a beautiful outdoor area perfect for having breakfast in the mornings or getting to know the other guests while enjoying appetizers and beverages during social hour. Our first stay was back in June and it was also our first vacation of the year to get away from work from home & quarantine life. It was nice to be able to finally relax (both mentally & physically) for the first time all year and not have to stress out worrying about whether or not we would be able to stay safe. We stayed in the lovely schoolhouse cottage and honestly could not have been happier with our choice. There are multiple cottages on the property if you are looking for privacy as well as the option to socially distance as much as possible. The main house has plenty of large rooms if you prefer a simple walk down the main stairs for breakfast or to grab your freshly baked after dinner cookies. My husband & I were so nervous initially about staying healthy & safe on our trip but were put at ease upon arrival as we saw all the precautions Bill & Theresa had in place. Masks are required by staff & guests in common places, outdoor and indoor seating is set up 6 feet apart, housekeeping is suspended but you will always be asked at breakfast if you need anything and the staff were constantly cleaning the common areas. Both times we stayed Bill & Theresa provided recommendations for safe restaurants in town that were practicing social distancing & requiring diners to wear masks while inside. Highly recommend Wicked Bao which was about a 10 minute walk and Espana which was a 5 minute walk from the property. The weather was not that great during our recent stay but it was easy to find fun things in town to do to stay dry. We also made use of the private balcony in our room over looking the pool to watch a movie & listen to the rain. Breakfast every morning was delicious! And social hour on the patio was the perfect opportunity to hangout before dinner chatting with the other guests while enjoying yummy appetizers and a cold drink (or two). And do not forget to save room for the amazing homemade cookies courtesy of Theresa, that will be waiting for you when you return from dinner. Contactless check out is available at the end of your stay or you can drop off your key in person and say goodbye with a long distance high five. Fairbanks House is doing things right and you will not regret finally planning a trip this year to take a break if...

We stayed at the Fairbanks House right after our wedding for a sweet and short mini-moon. We chose the Tapestry Room and selected the Classic Romance Package.

My husband and I had never stayed at a bed and breakfast before and therefore weren’t entirely sure what to expect. We got in late the night of our wedding and found it easy to get into the building. That first night, we were especially grateful for the oversized soaking tub and comfortable bed in our room.

Because we got in so late, we weren’t sure whether we should wake up in time for the breakfast offered or sleep in and find a brunch spot later in the day. But we decided to commit to the B&B experience and sacrifice some sleep to try out the Fairbanks breakfast and, boy, are we glad we did. I honestly think that might have been one of my favorite breakfasts in my life. The bananas in a cinnamon and cream sauce were heavenly and I’ve been dreaming about that breakfast bake and those sausage patties ever since then.

Before and during breakfast, we got to know Theresa and Bill a little better, along with their delightful staff. They are all so charismatic and genuine, it’s hard not to have a lovely time speaking with them! Theresa set up dinner and massage reservations for us in no time at all. We were able to briefly enjoy a fun happy hour with them and a few other guests.

Breakfast the following day was equally spectacular. The house itself is absolutely stunning, along with all its antique and unique furnishings. It was the perfect setting for a calm, relaxing weekend.

We will definitely be back to the Fairbanks House for anniversaries and other celebrations in between. I can’t wait to return! Theresa and Bill really made bed & breakfast...

Where to begin? There is so much that it's hard to describe. First off this is probably the best Thanksgiving I have ever had in my life! From the included breakfasts although I only had one call because I have a bad knee and was it able to go up and down the steps every day. But the first breakfast that I had was very well done! Banana parfait followed by homemade pumpkin pancakes with a maple walnut syrup was excellent! Your choice of juices, mine was cranberry. The house was just as I expected a throwback to Victorian days gone by furnished impeccably, and decorated for Christmas. We stayed in the schoolhouse cottage which was indeed very very charming. The bathroom in the cottage was a jacuzzi tub. The only problem, was the low water pressure in the shower head. I would suggest a cure for that would be a handheld shower head calling so you could have just various settings to increase the pressure. The schoolhouse Cottage also had a nice little kitchenette with a refrigerator and a microwave and utensils and dishes. The separate bedroom had a king size bed and was indeed very comfortable. There was a separate sitting room also with a TV in a sofa and also a TV in the bedroom. Each evening, Teresa brought us baked cookies and other goodies since I was unable to come to Social Hour because of my knee. The grounds are well-kept and very lush on the property. Since we came in the fall there were leaves everywhere but that just lent more of an autumn feeling on the whole place. Thanksgiving dinner at David's was included in our package and it again exceeded my expectations. Thanksgiving weekend on Amelia Island at at Fairbanks house is indeed something you must add...